Recent Fire History

Major Wildfires in El Dorado County

Caldor Fire (2021)
221,835 acres, 1,003 structures destroyed, $1.2B in damage. Burned 69 days across El Dorado, Alpine, and Amador counties — triggering the first-ever evacuation of South Lake Tahoe. Ignited by a bullet in August 2021.
Mosquito Fire (2022)
76,788 acres, California's largest wildfire of 2022. Burned across El Dorado and Placer counties, destroying 78 structures in Volcanoville and Michigan Bluff. Suppression costs exceeded $180 million.
King Fire (2014)
97,717 acres — at the time the largest in El Dorado County history. Burned through the Eldorado National Forest and forced thousands of evacuations.

California Law & Local Requirements

What the Law Requires

01
AB 38 — Home Hardening Disclosure
Sellers of El Dorado homes built before 2010 in High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones must disclose fire-hardening features and vulnerabilities to buyers. As of July 2025, disclosure must also include the State Fire Marshal's low-cost retrofit checklist.
02
PRC 4291 — Defensible Space
All El Dorado County properties in State Responsibility Areas must maintain 100 feet of defensible space. CAL FIRE conducts annual inspections in high-hazard zones.
03
Chapter 7A Building Code
New construction and major remodels in the Wildland-Urban Interface must meet Chapter 7A requirements: Class A roofing, ember-resistant vents, dual-pane tempered windows, and non-combustible siding.

Note: As of July 1, 2025, California expanded AB 38 disclosure requirements. Sellers of homes built before 2010 in High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones must now provide buyers with the State Fire Marshal's complete low-cost retrofit checklist, identifying which measures are present on the property. Consult a qualified real estate professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Why Drench

Built for El Dorado County Conditions

The Sierra foothills terrain that makes El County beautiful also makes it extraordinarily difficult to defend. Steep canyons channel fire uphill at speed. Limited road networks can cut off evacuation routes within minutes. Utility outages during fire events are common.

Drench is engineered for exactly these conditions — fully off-grid capable, Starlink-connected so it works when cell towers fail, and hydraulically designed per property to account for elevation change and water supply. When you evacuate, your home keeps defending itself.